Brassiere



E. BRUNO July 12, 1966 BRASSIERE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 20, 1964 ATTORNEY E. BRUNO BRASSIERE July 12, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 20, 1964 INVENTOR ATTORNEY United States Patent ice 3,260,262 BRASSIERE Enrico Bruno, Brooklyn, N.Y., assignor to Maidenform, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Aug. 20, 1964, Ser. No. 390,941 1 Claim. (Cl. 128494) The object of the present invention is to provide a brassiere, the combination of elements including more particularly an elastic band construction underlying the cups and composed of two sleeve-like longitudinal elastic band elements internally reinforced by relatively inelastic strips attached to the back bands only at one end thereof, so that when the brassiere is in position on the wearer, the said elastic sleeve may have usual stretch structure and the internal strips will follow the movement of elastic sleeve and maintain such reinforcement, providing a cushioning effect for comfort and preventing curling or other deformation at the base of the cups.

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevation of a brassiere constructed in accordance with the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary plan view of a portion of the brassiere underlying one cup, partly broken away to show one of the reinforcing and cushioning strips within the left hand sleeve, with the encircling sleeves partly stretched.

FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 33, FIGURE 2, and enlarged.

FIGURE 4 is a 'vertical section taken on the line 44, FIGURE 2, and enlarged.

Referring to the drawing, it will be seen that the cups are indicated at 1 and at 2 are the usual backbands, shoulder straps being shown at G.

The cups may be of any desired construction. Seamed to each cup is a fabric sleeve 4, one end of each sleeve being seamed to an appropriate backhand 2. These bands are preferably longitudinally elastic.

Within each sleeve 4 is a cushioning strip 5 which is free for relative movement, in that it is seamed, and hence held, only at one end, to wit a backhand appropriate thereto.

FIGURE 4 shows a transverse section through one of the sleeves 4, showing its connection with a cup by means of the stitching 6, the under face of the garment at that point having a reinforcing two-ply tape held in position by the said stitching.

3,260,262 Patented July 12, 1966 In the present embodiment, the inner ends of the sleeves are folded inwardly and secured by the stitches 8 and 9, to enclose a stiilening piece 7, as shown more particularly in FIGURE 3.

In FIGURES 2 and 3, stretch has been given to the sleeve 4, and the cushioning strips 5, as by pull outwardly on the backband, so that the inner ends of the cushioning strips have followed the movement -of the sleeves, with the result that the inner ends of the cushioning members will lie further apart than when the garment is at rest, i.e. not in use by the wearer.

It will be understood that various modifications may be made in the form and arrangement of the elements constituting the embodiment illustrated in the drawing, without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, the ends of the cushioning strips may be fixed at the meeting line of the sleeves between the cups, and each cushioning strip may be free at its opposite end, although the arrangement illustrated is preferred.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows:

In a brassiere, and in combination, a pair of cups and two backhand members, each backband member being secured to an appropriate cup, the cups being seamed together at their meeting line centrally of the brassiere, two longitu'dinally-elastic sleeves, each sleeve being seamed to an appropriate cup at the lower margin of the latter and also seamed to an appropriate backband, means for joining the sleeves at the median line between the cups, and a cushioning strip within each sleeve, one end of each cushioning strip being seamed to an appropriate backband and the opposite end of each strip being free, the end portions of the sleeves at the median line between the cups being turned inwardly upon the sleeve fabric and held by seams passed through the sleeves, and a stiffening member enclosed within said sleeve inturned portions.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,526,316 10/ 1950 Amy-0t 128-494 2,585,137 2/ *1952 Kurland 12=8494 3,173,421 3/1965 Steiner 128-485 ADELE M. EAGER, Primary Examiner. 

